Last evening, while doing some maintenance on my 5 & 3wt rods/reels, I noticed something very interesting after going through a small fishing log I keep.
Being a long time spinning rod/baitcaster fisherman, and just started fly fishing full time this season, I realized that a few of the lakes/ponds I normally fish with regular fishing gear, I have brought more fish in with my fly fishing gear then the last couple of years of fishing with spinning gear, using plastics, crankbaits and spinnerbaits. What really brought this to lite was a pond I was fly fishing yesterday evening, I nailed 14 Gills/Crappies in less then 2hrs on some hoppers with a 3wt rod. Man what a thrill that was! And this particular pond I’ve fished with live bait and small soft plastics with very little success in the past. My main arsenal of flies have been Streamers, Stimulators & Terrestrials and Hoppers/Poppers with very good success.
I kick myself for waiting so many years to actually get into fly fishing, but now, luv’en ever minute of it! I’m still a novice fly fisher, but getting a little better each time I go out and do practice … ALOT … in my yard, maybe too much
I still enjoy breaking out the spinning rod on occasion but it not as often as it was in the past
I haven’t tried my hand at trout fishing yet as all the good streams on are on the other side of the state, a good days drive. But it’s on my “todo” list for next season, for sure.
I also wanted to say thanks to many of the people here on FOAL forum who really helped allot when I first decided to get into fly fishing, I’ve learned a lot from this forum that’s for sure.
That’s GREAT, Mike!! Glad you’re enjoying yourself so much with a fly rod!
However, to ME, your “post” is a little backwards!!??!
You stated…“I normally fish with regular fishing gear”, but see that’s WHY you’re NOW catching MORE fish! You are NOW "fishing with ‘regular’ fishing gear, instead of it being the other way around!!
Also, it’s the simple fact that fish eat insects, smaller fish and other, natural looking baits and are not, usually, all that impressed with being offered “large chunks of shiny chrome”, “painted plastic tubes” and other such things that are not on their “normal menu”!
Just, teasing ya’ with the above!! I hope you can get to “the other side of the state”, to those Trout waters next year!! You’ll find out, that the Trouties love the flies even more than the panfish do!
Keep at it, it only gets better and even MORE addictive over time!
Yea, your right, it does sound that way doesn’t it My writing skills are much to be desired.
I meant to say I normally(in the past tense) fished with the regular fishing gear, and just started fly fishing full time this season … and have been quiet addictive to it! I find I am catching more fish now, then I did with my other fishing gear, spinning rods and baitcasters in the past. Not having a boat I do most of my fishing from the banks or wading.
I ‘made the switch’ to fly fishing from more ‘conventional’ tackle about fifteen years ago. I was a mainstream bass fisherman, tournaments, clubs, the whole deal…
What I have discovered is that I do tend to catch more fish with fly tackle.
But, the best part of it is, they are all more FUN to catch. Even the litle ones are fun.
I still prefer the warmwater species. Bass, especially smallmouth, and bluegills are outstanding fly rod fish. Trout are okay, not as much fun as the 'gills or the bass, but certainly easier to catch and that can be fun too.
Same here, been fishing with the conventional stuff, and the warm waters for over 40yrs and been wanting to get into fly fishing for sometime but always thought it was too hard to learn.
So late last season I started picking up some fly fishing gear, then decided to hit it hard and heavy this season and luv’en every minute of it. Still very much in the learning novice stages, and trying to deal with our IA winds. It makes it sometimes a real bear to throw out a decent cast, but working on my hauls which sometimes helps … when I do it right!
My daughter keeps asking me what I’m gonna do with all my other fishing gear as it now just sits and collects dust
I did a lot of fly tying and fly fishing from 1957-1973 including some tying for my local sporting goods store. I moved to South Carolina in 1973 and got into LMB fishing bigtime because of a neighbor who fished at least five or six days a week. That BTW, is the best deal you can ever have; a highly knowledgeable neighbor with a huge bassboat who is always looking for a fishing partner. So from 1973-2001, I did the bassboat thing exclusively. In late 2001, I was saved from my evil hardware and plastic ways and returned to fly fishing exclusively. I hate the fact that I ever left. I catch fewer fish but value my fishing experience so much more highly. 8T
And this particular pond I’ve fished with live bait and small soft plastics with very little success in the past. My main arsenal of flies have been Streamers, Stimulators & Terrestrials and Hoppers/Poppers with very good success.
My writing skills are much to be desired.